Ultrasound Technician Schools

Ultrasound technician schools prepare candidates to work as sonographers. Sonography, or ultrasonography, is the use of sound waves to generate an image for the assessment and diagnosis of various medical conditions.

Diagnostic medical sonography is an occupation to which there are multiple paths of entry. Formal education in sonography, training, or a combination of these are accepted by employers. Employers do prefer sonographers who have received education from an accredited program or completed training in an accredited practice, and who are registered.

Ultrasound Technician Schools And Training

There are several means of entering into the profession of ultrasound or more officially known as diagnostic medical sonography. Ultrasound training is completed in:

  • Hospitals
  • Vocational-technical institutions
  • Colleges & Universities
  • The Armed Forces

Some ultrasound technician schools have a preference of candidates with healthcare experience. They also are more apt to choose applicants that are high school graduates who have taken courses in mathematics, health, and science.

Due to high demand for sonographers, many colleges and universities offer formal ultrasound training in both 2-year and 4-year programs. Graduates can earn an associate or a bachelor’s degree in their profession

The two-year, associate’s degree programs are the most common. Sonography class room assignments include education in:

  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Instrumentation
  • Basic physics
  • Patient care
  • And medical ethics.

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) has deemed accreditation on 150-plus college & university training programs. Accredited programs are available at some hospital programs too.

For those not interested in the 2 or 4 year Ultrasound training school route, there are a few programs available that only 1-year. Graduates from the 1-year program receive a vocational certificate. Most ultrasound employers readily accept this certificate as proper education. But the 1-year sonography training options is usually set aside for those already working in the healthcare field and looking to expand their career options and marketability.

Do Ultrasound Technician Schools Provide Certification?

At present, no States are requiring candidates to have licensure in diagnostic medical sonography. There are options for sonographers to become credentialed by one of the professional certifying entities.

Although not required, registration provides an objective measure of an individual’s professional standing. As such, most employers prefer to hire registered sonographers.

There are some prerequisites to becoming a registered Ultrasound Technician. To be eligible to take the registration examination encompasses completing the proper education, training, or work experience. The Sonography exam will test you in your knowledge of physics and also an instrumentation exam in a sonography specialty. Once Sonography registration is achieved, it must be maintained. Sonographers must complete a required number of continuing-education hours to maintain registration per the certifying organization.

Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) certifies each person who passes the exam and bestows upon them the title: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).

The ARDMS allows for credentialing for several different specialty areas such as the abdomen, breast, or nervous system. Additionally, the ARDMS also credentials cardiac and vascular sonographers.

Ultrasound Technician Schools – Opening Career Doors

Ultrasound technicians are open to seeking career advancement by obtaining competency in more than one specialty. If you were an obstetric sonographer, you might possibly desire training in abdominal sonography. This will greatly broaden your career opportunities plus increase your marketability and further your employment options.

Sonographers may wish to attain multiple credentials. You could be a registered diagnostic medical sonographer and a registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer. Other career advancement opportunities exist in supervision, management, or administrative roles. Ultrasound technician schools open the doors to many interesting, challenging, and financially rewarding career paths.